Light tanks for Indian Army

[Kunal Biswas]

 

[Damian]

Well situation is interesting from the Polish end. OBRUM is still working on WPB Anders, but currently probably on for the export market, because Polish Army currently is close to finish it's requirements list, and the rumors close to the MoD says that Army want a heavier MBT, and lighter swimming IFV, but both as a unified platforms, it probably means common components and different overall designs.

Hard to say right now how situation will develop.

 

[Kunal Biswas]

Thanks for info, Its harder to monitor in polish sites even with translator..

 

[Killswitch]

The BMP 2's are completely obsolete. This light tank would be much more survivable in a modern war. I hope it can meet requirements and be inducted ASAP.

 

[Damian]

WPB Anders is multirole/universal combat platform, this means that depending on configuration it can be light tank/fire support vehicle, infantry fighting vehicle and any other variant that is avaiable for platform.

In fact even in LT/FSV variant, WPB Anders besides having crew of 3, low profile turret with 120mm smoothbore gun, it can also carry 4 dismounts/recce soldiers.

 

[Sam2012]

Will BEML produce these tanks in India? if yes then army will be edgy due to TATRA scam issue

 

[Kunal Biswas]

Yeah that is sure it is..

 

[shuvo@y2k10]

There are no news yet, The Vehicle will participate in RFI for Light tanks..

In RFI DRDO tank is also included, There will be trails after that we may see Induction..

Which drdo tank are you talking about please elaborate.Anyways why can't a smaller barelled version of the arjun gun(with a unmanned turret) be mated with an ficv base(prefarbly tata) to get a perfect airportable light 30-35 ton tank.This can save us from exports.Yes i know some of you will say that ficv is a decade away but the speed at which tata is developing complete defence platforms(like mine protected vehicles,tata 12*12 truck as a miisle and radr platform,bulletproof safaris,155mm 52 caliber artillery gun etc) i wouldn't be surprised if they manage to bring out a prototype ficv before next defence expo.

 

[Kunal Biswas]

There are 100 ways to make a light tank in India with given specs, But its not upto us..

Which drdo tank are you talking about please elaborate.Anyways why can't a smaller barelled version of the arjun gun(with a unmanned turret) be mated with an ficv base(prefarbly tata) to get a perfect airportable light 30-35 ton tank.This can save us from exports.Yes i know some of you will say that ficv is a decade away but the speed at which tata is developing complete defence platforms(like mine protected vehicles,tata 12*12 truck as a miisle and radr platform,bulletproof safaris,155mm 52 caliber artillery gun etc) i wouldn't be surprised if they manage to bring out a prototype ficv before next defence expo.

 

[Sam2012]

Its still a concept or work is on with the JV ?

 

[shuvo@y2k10]

there are 2 problems with this drdo project.firstly the there should be a more potent hull than bmp2(like abhay icv's hull) and it needs to be covered with era and should have an aps..secondly the main gun should be more powerful like a smaller barreled version of arjun's main gun or a smaller bareeled version of the indegeneous 125mm smoothbore main gun developed by arde for t-90 project.

 

[Damian]

The problem with lightweight vehicles is that they have too thin hull to use standard ERA, there is need an ERA that is designed with lightweight platforms as well in mind. Such ERA systems are Russian 4S24, Ukrainian "Knife"/"Duplet" and American ARAT, BRAT and SRAT ERA systems (I mentioned here all US ERA systems, that as they are meant for different platforms, all share common slutions).

As for main gun, here you also have some challenges to solve, like gun recoil, and how the overall vehicle structure handles it.

As for idea about Abhay ICV, IMHO India should increase R&D on FICV, for example the proposal of Tata company where you have two FICV's, the tracked and wheeled, and both should be designed as multirole combat platforms that can be adapted with different tasks in mind. I really like Tata designs here because both give option for lightweight tracked and wheeled infantry fire support vehicles/light tanks that will have high commonality with other vehicles like FICV basic variant.

India should also consider based on such vehicle automatic 120mm mortar, there are several different designs like Nona, Nona-SVK, Viena, AMOS, NEMO and Polish MAHSW "Rak" in tracked G and wheeled K variants as well as in form of module that can be installed on several different platforms both ground and water (ships). So here India also have several different options, and such 120mm automatic mortar is very good addition as fire support for infantry units because it not only can act as mortar (that have higher ROF due to automatization) but also as direct fire support gun, as it also have such capabilities.

 

[Blackwater]

Tank gun on bmp

 

[average american]

.................................... Edit ......................................

Light tanks is a nother word for tanks for parades and crowd control.

 

[arnabmit]

Maybe @Damian can inform of any development from Polish local news.

It has been almost 3 years without any news!

 

[Damian]

Maybe @Damian can inform of any development from Polish local news.

It has been almost 3 years without any news!

As far as I can say, the WPB Anders multirole modular platform, that was considered to be used in Polish-Indian project for the light tank, is currently closed deal, simply because it was only technology demonstrator, not even a prototype.

Currently we are developing new multirole modular platform, codenamed "Rydwan" or "Charriot" if you wish in english. This new platform will have two versions, a lightweight/mediumweight variant with basic weight of 25 metric tons (although weight will depend on configuration, armor protection etc.), that can be basis for Infantry Fighting Vehicle, Armored Personell Carrier, Light Tank, Automatic Gun Mortar Carrier etc. This platform will also be fully amphibious. And there is heavyweight variant which weight will range from 35 to 50 metric tons and maximum weight of 55 metric tons, depending on variant and armor configuration. This heavyweight variant will be mainly basis for Main Battle Tank, but can also be base for Self Propelled Gun Howitzer, heavy Infantry Fighting Vehicle and heavy Armored Personell Carrier etc.

Obviously the main customer for these platforms will be Polish Army, but exports will be avaiable and if India is interested, can participate.

It might be most benefitial for India because, as I said, these vehicles will not be based on dedicated platforms, but on multirole, modular platforms, which means all of these variants will share common components, reducing production costs, development costs, reducing time, making logistics life easier etc.

These platforms will also use a faimily of engines and transmission with power ranging from 400 to 1500 HP, it is not known yet which companies engines will be manufactured in Poland tough.

What is also important, is that our platform will not use manned turrets in MBT, LT and IFV variants, but new unmanned turrets are under development. Also there is range of Polish designed remotely controlled stations allready avaiable to be purchased.

ZSMU-1276 A3 and ZSMU-1276 C1.

ZSMU-70.

Currently under development, unmanned turrets armed with automatic cannon (type and calliber can vary depending on customer), machine gun and ATGM (type can vary depending on customer).

Unamnned turret module armed with machine gun, anti-air missiles and anti-tank missiles.

Unmanned turret module with 120mm smoothbore gun for MBT and LT applications and early, still not detailed concept model of one of variant of the "Rydwan" platform..

 

[Damian]

Unmanned turret module "Amur" with 4 "Grom" anti-air missiles and 4 "Spike" anti-tank missiles.

All these modules can be installed on variety of platforms. There are of course more, like the automatic gun mortar module MAHSW "Rak" with 120mm gun mortar with autoloader, that can be installed on wheeled, tracked platforms, navy vessels and on static defence fortifications.

Take a note that our product represent highest possible quality, while still being cheaper than most of the western european or american products.

 

[Damian]

Above image shows concept of the WPB "Anders", concept of WPB "Rydwan" will be similiar, although more complex and heavyweight platform might have two configurations, one with engine at front, and second with engine at rear, more suited for MBT.

 

[arnabmit]

@Kunal Biswas

Sir, so is this now the Indian LT prospective or is there any other programs currently undergoing?

http://defenceforumindia.com/forum/indian-army/3294-105-mm-light-tank-drdo.html

 

[SilentKiller]

Above image shows concept of the WPB "Anders", concept of WPB "Rydwan" will be similiar, although more complex and heavyweight platform might have two configurations, one with engine at front, and second with engine at rear, more suited for MBT.

could you translate each name for us?